Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-17
STAGE TECHNICaLITIES.
A Stage Carpenter Talks of the Nomer
clature of Stage Setting.

1t sometimes happens that an actor or
an actress has to go into a strange theater,
interview the master carpenter and tell
him how the stage should be set for the
play In which he or she appears. As
rule, in five minutes their ignorance is dis
played. The terms are simple enough and
very little experience would make any
one familiar with them. Take the stage
itself. An ordinary stock theater has three
center traps These are arranged iii the
middle OF the stage, one opposite each en-
trance, as the spaces between the wings are
called. Then there are two quarter
traps|small, square apertures on the ex-
IRENE right and left and three sinks
which are the lcng, narrow hinged traps
stretching across the stage and intended
for the raising or lowering of scenes. The
stage is covered with cloths divided into
the green baize,' the carpet and the
ground CLOTH or canvas painted to repre-
! sent grass, or the pavement, or what not
The wings to which | have referred, are
the narrow scenes at the side of the stage.
one projecting in advance of the other.
They are classified as wood wings gar
den wings architectural wings and wa
ter wings the latter consisting of sea
scenes representing Just sky and water.
The tormentors' are the wings placed
close to the proscenium arch, which form
sort of a frame to the picture behind
Borders are strips of painted canvas
hanging horizontally over the stage and
matching the wings. There are SKY
borders,' foliage borders,' 'drapery bord-
ers' and arch borders the latter being, as
the name implies, cut out in the form OF an
| arah to fr,r - 81.
| sky. Scenes are divided into flats which
meeting in the middle; backings,' which
are seen through doorways or window
openings, and drops which are simply
painted canvas hung on a roller. Then
there are set rocks in the form of bluff
or large bowlder; tail rocks piece
slanting down to nothing and representing
small rocks and foliage, and ground
rows showing grass or low, creeping foil
age. Cut woods are scenes showing trees
and shrubs, and cut out so as to show the
drop or backing behind. Set trees
are single trees cut out of fiat canvas, or in
some cases built up to represent a natural
tree trunk. Set waters are stri ps painted
to represent waves. The constructive part
Of the stage includes the stage proper !;
the flies which are the galleries at the
sides above the stage from which the
scenery is worked; the rigging loft, which
is above the flies; and the bridge which
runs across the back of the stage. The
grooves are the guides in which the flats
and wings run, while the paint frame is
generally placed at the back of the stage
and consists of bridge in front of which
the scene to be painted is raised or low
cred by pulleys. As to the lights they
include footlights,' the border lights
which are rows of gas jets overhead, the
bunch lights collection of burners
mounted on movable stand so as to be
readily moved about, ground lights
placed just clear of the stage, and strip
lights or movable gas jets, intended to be
hung on hooks at any desirable hight and
easily striped or taken down. These are
only a few of the technical terms in use be-
hind the scenes, but they include, I think,
the more important definitions. y Nelr
| York Tribune